Miley Cyrus' new album "Bangerz" is officially for sale to the public, and the singer recently opened up about how the backlash from her controversial MTV VMA performance was all a part of her plan to promote it.

Cyrus, 20, has been the face of controversy lately as a singer who has seemingly prided herself on her provocative appearance more than her music. The singer caused a stir during her MTV Video Music Awards performance, when she stripped down to a nude bikini while gyrating on married R&B singer Robin Thicke, 36.

While a number of people spoke out against the singer's performance and even called for prayer, Cyrus doesn't mind the negative attention. When Today host Matt Lauer asked if she minded the attention she was getting, she revealed why she didn't.

"I mean, it's kind of what I want. I'm an artist, so I'm hoping that I get a little attention or my record sales might be a little sketch," Cyrus told Lauer. "I don't ever really plan to offend people, but sometimes that just happens because I think people, they're not open to what they don't understand. But that's why when I'm singing for my fans, because they're all really young so they understand what I'm doing."

Cyrus said things were going according to her initial plan before the performance.

"It went exactly as I planned," Cyrus said on "Today". "I mean, it's a month later and we're still talking about it, so it definitely went as planned."

While fellow singer Justin Timberlake has defended Cyrus by saying that she is just experimenting with life as a budding adult, Thicke's mother, Gloria Loring, spoke out about the younger former Disney star.

"I don't understand what Miley Cyrus is trying to do," Loring, the former Days of Our Lives actress told Yahoo omg! INSIDER. "I think she's misbegotten in this attempt of hers. And I think it was not beneficial."